


I Have To Wear What?

by Tilltheendwilliwrite



Series: Christmas Drabble Day 2018 [10]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Christmas flirting, F/M, Mild Language, Sam is a shit, bucky is an elf, тэг заменён на Don't copy to another site
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-24 16:20:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17103950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tilltheendwilliwrite/pseuds/Tilltheendwilliwrite
Summary: anonymous asked:Bucky was volunteered to be Santa's elf at the mall. Volunteered, without knowing, by Sam? 🤣 Maybe meets reader or person that way? ☺





	I Have To Wear What?

 

 

* * *

Bucky Barnes was many things. A man out of time. A super soldier. A prisoner of war. A man once known as the Winter Soldier and feared by all those who knew him by that name. The one thing he wasn't, was a fucking elf.

The Christmas season was in full swing and Wilson, in his infinite wisdom, had decided it would be good for their image if the Avengers participated at different events around the city. Working as singles or in pairs, they ventured out into the public eye to help with any number of things. 

Tony and Pepper had helped light the tree in Rockefeller Center with a miniature arc reactor, allowing the city to run the lights on clean, free energy for the first time. 

Steve and Natasha had ridden in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, while Wanda and Vision had revealed the Christmas Window display using Wanda's magic to wow the crowd.

Sam was emceeing the Radio City Christmas Spectacular along with a masked Peter, none of them wanting him to reveal himself when he was still just a kid. 

But somehow, someway,  _ someone _ had signed Bucky up to be Santa's Helper at FAO Schwarz. He knew damn well it was Sam but had no way to get out of it now.  _ The bastard _ . 

So there he stood, a pair of black tights and pointy shoes in one hand, a large green and red thigh length coat in the other. 

“I have to wear  _ what _ ?” he damn near barked at the woman whose name just happened to be Noel.

Noel Kringle. No, he wasn't making that up. Yes, that really was her name. 

“We checked with your people. They said you'd be happy to play the part,” Noel said, blinking her big holly green eyes at him. Her hair was curled and pinned up, adding a jaunty twist to the red and white dress she wore which ended at her thighs, decked out in green nylons embroidered with holly all the way down to her short black boots. “I did say you were welcome to wear slacks and a Christmas sweater, but they insisted you wanted to go all out. Even sent over your measurements so your costume would fit.”

“Let me guess. You spoke to a guy?” Bucky grumbled.

“Yes.”

“Did he appear to have difficulty maintaining his composure.”

“Um…” She bit her cherry red lower lip with pearl white teeth. “A little, I guess.”

“I'm gonna kill him,” Bucky sighed.

“Oh, no!” Noel gasped. “You didn't want to be an elf at all did you?”

“Not particularly.” She looked devastated and made Bucky sigh, vowing revenge on Wilson in the worst possible way. “It's fine, dollface. I can make this work.”

“Really?” she squealed, the clipboard she was carrying around hugged tight to her chest. “Oh, thank you, Mr. Barnes! All the children I've spoken to are thrilled they'll get to meet you!”

It was his turn to mutter, “Really?”

She nodded enthusiastically, sending her candy cane earrings swinging. “Would I be… can I ask…” Again she tucked her teeth into her lip, nervously worrying it. 

He wondered what kind of lipstick she used to manage not to worry it right off. A pretty dame, he assumed she wanted an autograph and smiled. “It's no problem, doll.”

“Oh, wonderful!” she smiled and relaxed. “Some men are so touchy about the subject.”

Bucky paused. “Wait… touchy about what?”

“The beard.” She motioned toward his face. “It's something I'm required to ask as everyone is supposed to be cleanly shaven except for Santa, but when we have guest elves, we don't force you. I'm so happy you said yes, though! It will make for great pictures.”

“Pictures?” He just managed not to snarl the word. 

“Of course! You and Santa and the child. We've had people booked for weeks once they found out an Avenger would be our guest.”

“How many cancelled when they found out it was me?” he murmured.

She frowned, cute little wrinkles appearing on her turned up nose. “None. We had even more bookings.”

He gaped at her. “Really?”

“Of course! Who doesn't want their picture taken with a war hero?” Noel smiled as she turned to walk away. “I'll see you tomorrow at nine sharp, Sergeant to help with your costume if you need it. Don't be late.”

“Not a chance, ma'am,” he grinned after her.

“Don't forget to shave!” she called out, her pace increasing as she worked her way out from behind the scenes at Santa's Village.

Bucky gave one sad whimper before resigning himself to the loss of his beard. 

***

His face felt weird beneath his hand. It had been a while since he was clean shaven. After leaving the store yesterday, his gaze had caught and locked on a barber pole a few blocks away. The urge to make a change had overcome him, and he'd arrived back at the Tower looking more like forties Bucky than present-day Bucky. 

The barber had left it a little longer on top, going on about current styles, and had been happy to show Bucky what to do with the pomade. It wasn't Brylcreem like he'd used back in the day, but it did the job. 

Of course, Nat had catcalled, and Steve had teased before nodding his appreciation of Bucky's new retro look. Sam had, unsurprisingly, made himself scarce, but Bucky wasn't worried. Wilson had to sleep sometime.

He pushed through the doors to FAO Schwarz, shook the snow from his hair and stamped it from his boots. The storm had blown in early this year, but without ferocity, making it a nuisance but the city sure looked pretty while it was pristine and white.

Bucky headed for Santa's Village while looking around for Noel. He had one request when it came to the costume. 

The tights. After thinking about it half the damn night, he was sure wearing the damn things might be a bad idea. No. Not just bad. Indecent might be a better word. He wasn't a small guy by any means, and stuffing his thighs into what essentially amounted to sausage casings wasn't something he wanted to go through. 

Instead, he'd worn a pair of clean, comfortable, perfectly respectable, black jeans as an alternative option. He'd wear the damn coat, the damn hat, and smile for the pictures, but he was drawing the line at tights and the shoes. 

As he headed behind the considerable display for Santa’s Village, a few people did double takes, but Bucky ignored them, looking around for Noel. When he found her, he had to smile. Today her dress was green with white fur at the hem and cuffs. Her socks were knee-high, covered in reindeer, and had little bells that chimed as she hurried from here to there. She was cute. More than cute. Adorable. 

Bucky wandered toward her. “Noel?”

She looked up, her smile friendly but impersonal. Then it slipped from her face to be replaced by shock. “Sergeant Barnes?”

“Uh, yeah.” He thrust a hand through his hair. “Is it that bad?”

“No!” A blush burned through her cheeks. “I-I mean, you look so different. But it’s nice, good, hand-handsome.”

He gave her a flirtatious smile. “Handsome, huh?” 

She seemed to shake off her initial surprise and smiled again. “I’m sure that’s not the first time you’ve been called handsome, sergeant. Come on. Let’s get you outfitted.” She turned and jingled away, her heels clicking as she went, making her sound as cheery as the reindeer on her socks. 

“Yeah, about that…” Bucky hurried after her. “I think we’re gonna want to bypass the tights.”

“Oh? Really?” She frowned. “But the whole outfit is meant to compliment Santa.”

“Dollface, look…”

She tugged her clipboard to her chest and peered at him over her shoulder. “I’d really like you to try it on, Sergeant. Then if you’re still unhappy, we can make adjustments.”

The pleading in her gaze made him sigh. He never could resist that look on a dame. “Fine. Fine. I still think the tights are a mistake.”

***

Twenty minutes later, Bucky stepped out of the changing room behind Santa’s Workshop to find Noel scribbling madly on her clipboard while speaking into the headset she wore. “No. No. I said ten, not nine forty-five. Ten. We’ll be there for ten. I don’t care if they’re clamouring for the Sergeant, he’s not ready yet.”

“Noel.”

She looked up, did a double take, and dropped her pencil. “Oh, my god.” She clicked a button on her headset and tugged it from her ear. “Um…” Her eyes drifted down his body, over the deep green of his elf tunic, the belt of woven threads, and came to a stop on his thighs encased in black tights. 

They were practically painted on. So tight, every defined line of Bucky’s thighs was visible through the dark fabric. And then he drove his point home. 

“I’m assuming I’ll need to crouch a little to be in this photo with Santa.” Bucky dropped down, thighs spreading, tunic going with it, revealing the other portion of his anatomy that was so thoroughly defined. 

The noise Noel made was somewhere between a whimper and a moan. She swallowed thickly, her face flushed and eyes wide as Bucky returned to standing. “Yes-” Her voice broke on a squeak, and she cleared it quickly. “Yes. I think you’re right.”

“Why don’t I just put my jeans back on, dollface?” Bucky smirked at her. 

She whipped around and returned to her clipboard. “I-I-I… think that’s for the best.”

“And I’m not wearing those shoes.”

The blush burning in her face was very dark. “Of… of course, sergeant.”

“You okay, Noel?” he grinned a little wider. 

She shot him a glance. “Perfect!”

Bucky chuckled and returned to the dressing room to change his pants. 

***

An hour into the photo op, Bucky found he was enjoying himself. The kids were cute, each clamouring for an autograph, and the guy they had playing Santa took it all in stride. Comfortable now with the routine, Bucky began watching Noel. 

She was never difficult to find, what with the jingle bells on her socks. He was beginning to think her name should be Joy, not Noel with how happy she was. Her skirt swung as she danced between people, laughing and chattering with those waiting in line. 

“You know, son,” Santa said, poking Bucky in the ribs. “It’s not too often a woman comes along who can make a man smile the way you are right now.”

“What would you know of it, Nick?” Bucky teased, grinning down at the big man whose bushy white beard was one hundred percent natural. 

“Oh ho! The missus and I’ve been married for centuries, or don’t you know your Christmas mythology?”

“And how is Mrs. Claus?”

“Spry as the day we met,” the big man said, patting his belly. “Keeps me fit and young she does.”

“I bet.”

“That girl looks at you the same way.”

Bucky only shrugged. He wasn’t blind to the blushes and shy glances he was getting from Noel, and a hundred other women either.

“Are you going to ask her out?”

“Since when did Santa join the CIA?” Bucky asked, amused by the third degree. 

“Please! I was watching long before Big Brother.”

Bucky chuckled but turned his attention back on Noel. “She’s pretty cute in that dress.”

“She’s the sweetest woman. Kind. Caring. You couldn’t go wrong with a girl like her.”

“Who would have thought Santa was a matchmaker.”

Nick only chuckled and waved the next child forward.

***

Hours later when Bucky was finished and had changed back into his regular clothing, he found Noel waiting for him. 

“Sergeant.”

“Bucky, please.” She held out a candy cane. “What’s this for?”

“You think I didn’t see you eyeing them covetously?”

He chuckled at her smirk. “Thanks, dollface.” He plucked the candy from her fingers and peeled back the wrapper before taking a bite. “Want some?”

Her teeth worried her lip before she stepped forward and accepted. “I hope you had fun.”

“Surprisingly, yes.”

There was a shyness in her smile. “The kids were all so excited. I can’t thank you enough.”

“You or the store?”

“Well, the store of course, but me too.” 

Bucky stepped closer, the tension palatable. “If you really want to thank me, you could always let me take you out to dinner.”

A brow arched his way. “How is that me thanking you? Shouldn’t I be asking you to dinner?”

“Is that an invitation, dollface?” Bucky stepped into her space.

Her chin lifted even as pink darkened her cheeks. “If it were?”

“Then I’d want to know what time you’re picking me up.”

Her teeth returned to her lip, but it was only to contain her smile. “Seven?”

“It’s a date. I’ll be sure and wear something fancy.”

Noel leaned closer and nipped another bite from the end of his candy cane. “Or you could just wear the tights.”

“Talk like that will get you put on the naughty list, Noel,” he said, snagging her around the waist and pulling her closer. 

“You’re Santa’s helper. Maybe you can help me straighten out my act before it’s too late?”

“Baby girl,” Bucky purred, peering down at her plump lips. “It would be my pleasure.” He ducked his head slowly, approaching her mouth carefully, watching to be sure she was okay with what he was about to do. 

When she sighed, and her lashes fluttered shut, Bucky swooped in and kissed her, tasting the candy cane on her lips, making a mental note to buy Wilson a fruit basket in thanks for signing him up to play Santa’s helper. 

The gig had a pretty sweet ending.

-The End-

 


End file.
